Effects Chains...The ORDER...

[DinoD]

I am putting together a home studio, and I am experimenting with my outboard effects gear. I am looking for suggestions from different people about the order in which they place their effects in their chains, and the success they've had. Here's the set-up I have so far: A 2-channel compresser/limiter/expander/gate; a 31- band EQ, and a ART FX-1 multi-effects processor.

I know there are probably as many combinations as there are different people, but I'm just looking for ideas and some general guide-lines as far as quality as well as just plain old 'good' habits.

Thanks, and any help would be appreciated. DinoD

 

[TexRoadkill]

I'm just looking for ideas and some general guide-lines as far as quality as well as just plain old 'good' habits.

For one, don't chain effects processors.

What sources are you talking about? On guitar that signal path is probably okay but any miced sources should be recorded flat. There are no hard rules but you want to keep your signal path as short and clean as possible if you want sparkling highs and tight bass.

What is the rest of your setup? Are you using a mixer, DAW, etc?

 

[Chris Tondreau]

I agree with TexRoadKill... as short as possible distance between your source and your recorder - whatever each shall be. I generally go from my mic into my expander/compressor/limiter, into my mic pre, and into my soundcard to Cubase. If you consider that anything that you "print" to your recorded source is there for good (reverb, EQ, etc.) and can't be changed. If you record it as plain or as "natural" as possible, then you can always add effects and EQ later. The one MAJOR exception is distortion on electric guitars.... this is almost ALWAYS added before the recording chain.

Chris

 

[shadowfax]

perhaps you should get a patchbay. neutrik makes excellent ones with 24 channels, 1/4" TRS inputs and various normalizing options. I've got one, myself.. it cost me 80 canadian.